Radio pushbutton support assembly



Oct. 7, 1969 w. BERNHARDT 3,470,753

RADIO PUSHBUTTON SUPPORT ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 19, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WERNm BERNHARDT AGE Oct. 7, 1969 w. BERNHARDT RADIO PUSHBUTTON SUPPORT ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19, 1967 INVENTOR. WERNER BERN-Raf AGEN United States Patent Int. Cl. Fish 35/18 US. Cl. 74-1027 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automobile radio pushbutton assembly which is detachably mounted outside of the radio housing. The assembly is provided with latching means for retractably holding a depressed button in place.

The invention relates to a radio receiver, more particularly a car radio receiver, in combination with a pushbutton tuning device and a frame support therefor detachably arranged in front of the radio housing.

The pushbutton tuning devices for car radios are usually located beneath the dial box and are built in the housing separately from the dial box. The pushbuttons themselves project from the housing so as to protrude slightly in front of, or are in line with the dial.

It is also known to arrange pushbuttons inside of a frame which also contains the dial, the pushbutton unit itself being a subassembly independent from said frame and arranged within the housing. The arrangement of the pushbutton assembly inside the housing brings about a larger space required inside the housing and hence, as a matter of course, car radios of deep construction.

The invention has for its object to provide a construction which permits the conservation of available space inside the housing for the electric or electromechanical structural parts.

According to the invention this is achieved with a radio receiver, more particularly a car radio receiver, in combination with a pushbutton tuning device and frame support therefor detachably arranged in front of the housing. The frame has at least one tongue projecting therefrom which forms the support for at least one pushbutton, and is mounted in front of the housing.

A connecting member attached to the pushbutton extends into the housing for cooperation with the switching mechanism.

Apart from saving space, a simple, compact, and easily accessible construction of the car radio pushbutton tuning parts is achieved.

The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows the part of the radio housing according to the invention and the supporting frame for the pushbutton switch,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of part of the pushbutton device according to the invention taken on the line II-II in FIG. 3,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus.

A housing wall 1 of a car radio is provided with a frame support member 3, detachably fastened by means of screws 5. The lower wall 7 of this frame is provided on its front side 9 with sheet tongues 11, punched from the material of the frame. On the rear side 13 of the wall 7 there is provided, as is shown in FIG. 2, a guide rail 15, also bent out of the material of the frame and having guide extensions 17 above the wall 7.

3,470,753 Patented Oct. 7, 1969 Hollow pushbuttons 19 are slipped on the sheet tongues 11 (FIG. 2). The pushbuttons 19 are fastened by screws 21 to sliding guide members 23 and to connecting members 25. The sliding guide members have helical springs 27 thereon for pushing the buttons 19 away from the guide rail 15, and extend through guide openings 28 of the guide rail 15; they are preferably made of a wear resistant synthetic resin. The sliding guide members 23 are provided with extensions 29 (FIG. 3), which are adapted to grip into openings (not shown) of a latch bar 31, so that they are held in the depressed position when moved toward the housing, When a 'button 19 is further depressed to take it out of its rest position, the latch bar 31 is displaced to the left by a sloping race 33, located in front of an extension 29, to an extent such that the opening of the latch bar releases the extension of the previously depressed button. Thus the button jumps back into its starting position. A spring 34 causes the latch bar 31 to return to its terminal position.

The connecting members 25 are provided in their range of connection inside the pushbutton 19 when an elongated hole 35, extending in the direction of displace ment. By loosening a screw 21 the connecting member 25 can 'be displaced within a given range with respect to the pushbutton 19. Tolerances in the direction of displacement can thus easily be compensated for. The connecting members 25 are provided with catching pins 37, extending at right angles to the direction of displacement and all in the same direction away from the connecting members 25. These catching pins 37 are inserted prior to the fastening of the pushbutton tuning device into openings of the associated switching parts. When the device is disengaged, for example, for repair, the entire pushbutton device can easily be loosened from the switching parts.

From FIG. 3 it will be apparent that the entire pushbutton device is located in front of the wall of the housing. Only the ends of the connecting members 25 with the catching pins 37 extend into the housing.

What is claimed is:

1. A pushbutton support assembly for tuning a radio receiver, mounted outside of the receiver housing and comprising:

a frame support member detachably fastened to the housing wall of a radio receiver, said frame defining therein a plurality of apertures which are in alignment with an opening in the housing wall;

tongue portions on said frame, said tongues projecting outwardly and away from the housing wall and positioned over and in alignment with the apertures in the frame member;

biased guide members, slidably mounted on the tongues, for displacement against the biasing force, and toward the opening in the housing wall;

connecting means attached to the guide members, for movement therewith, and extending through the opening in the housing wall for cooperating with the radio switching parts therein; and

latching means for retractably holding the guide members in their operative position.

2. A pushbutton support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latching means comprises:

a spring urged latch bar, slidably mounted on the frame member, said latch bar defining therein a plurality of guide openings which are in alignment with the apertures in the frame member and the opening in the housing wall; and

an extension on the guide member which extends through the guide openings and is adapted to be gripped and held by the latch bar as a result of the spring force acting on the bar.

3 4 3. A pushbutton support assembly as claimed in claim mitting to the guide member, pressure to overcome 2, including: the biasing force.

release means for the latch 'bar comprising a race formed in the guide extension and adapted, upon References Cited further inward movement, to displace the latch bar 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS against the sprlng force and thus permit the guide $234,800 2/1966 Clark et al- 74-1027 to return to its original position. 4. A ushbutton su ort assembl as claimed 'n claim 3, furthfr comprising y MILTON KAUFMAN, Prlmary Examiner a helical spring for providing the outward biasing force 10 to the guide members, and 334 7 a pushbutton attached to each guide member for trans- 

